"I just don't see why I can't leave now," Draco exclaimed in irritation. He was anxious to see her again.
Severus sighed and lowered his head into his hands to massage his temples. The younger man was trying his patience. "You are not yet in the right mind set to go, Draco. If I let you leave now, you will only botch things up and we have but one shot at this."
Draco growled and jumped to his feet. He slammed his hands down on the Headmaster's desk and glowered darkly at the older man behind it. "I know what is at stake, Severus. I am not the foolish child I once was. I…"
Severus raised a hand to silence the tirade he knew was coming. His head throbbed and he was in no mood for it. "I will know when the time is right, Draco. I just ask that you give it time and continue to prepare. I know you are anxious to see her again and I do not begrudge you your excitement but, please, give it time."
Draco frowned and released a breath through his nose. His teeth clenched and he balled his hands into fists atop the desk. His anger slowly ebbed as he willed himself to calm. It would not do to fight about it anymore. The Headmaster had his reasons for holding him back and he just had to accept the decision.
"I know how hard this must be for you, Draco."
"Do you really, Severus?" Draco's tone was skeptical.
The older man frowned and sat back in his chair. The flash of anger in his dark eyes belied his calm exterior. "Do not, for one moment, think that you are alone in your feelings, Draco. Do you think that you alone hold the monopoly on grief? On regret that eats away at you until you wish you would die and end the torment that is your very existence?" Severus rose to his feet and stalked around to the other side of his desk and stood toe to toe with the younger man. His lip curled into a sneer, his eyes growing darker as rage filled him. "You should be grateful for the chance you are being given. A second chance to win the heart of the woman you love and, thus, change the future, allowing you both to live the life of happiness you were not given the first time around. Some of us are not so lucky." With that he stalked from his office and slammed the door behind him.
Draco slouched against the desk behind him and sighed regretfully. How could he have forgotten about his godfather's past and the woman whose memory still haunted him? How could he be so cruel as to think he alone knew such pain from lost love? He was being selfish and he knew what he had to do to rectify his mistake.
Madigan sifted through his trunk and came upon the box he had kept closed for so many years. Could he do that now? Open up a box full of memories? Memories that threatened to take the last of his sanity and send him over that edge he had been teetering on for Merlin only knew how long?
He stood up and walked toward his bed, the box gripped so tightly in his hands his knuckles turned white. He tried to set it on the mattress, but he couldn't get his grip to loosen. He simply held the box, his body beginning to shake. He couldn't do it. He knew he needed to, but fear held him back.
Yes, he saw her everyday, but she wasn't his Hermione. Not yet anyway. That was still a few years down the line. Well, in his timeline anyway. Young Draco had an opportunity to speed things up if he would only open his eyes and see that his stubbornness could cost him what he truly wanted.
It was time. He knew that now. If he didn't finally do something drastic, this mission was going to be all for naught and he couldn't let that happen. How to pull it off though, was the question.
His grip loosened and he set the box down, his hand hovering over it. It had been years since he last looked at its contents and he knew it was time he did.
He lifted the lid, his eyes filling with tears as he glanced at the first item. It was a lock of hair tied with an emerald green ribbon. The tresses were curled and a rich honeyed brown. He grasped them and lifted them up to run along his cheek. A memory hit him: of hugging her, his cheek resting on the top of her head, the scent of lavender overwhelming his senses as he resisted the urge to tell her everything he had kept hidden. He had fought that urge and the next day she had been killed, the regret of a missed opportunity still choking him up.
He sat the lock of hair back in the box and picked up the small bottle of perfume. He twisted off the lid and inhaled the familiar floral scent of her favorite scent. He had bought the bottle for her just days before the final battle. It was the first and last gift he had ever bought her. They had just agreed to be friends again and it was a gesture to show her he had meant what he said. She had smiled that brilliant smile that always made his heart race.
He replaced the lid and set the bottle back down and lifted up the last item in the box. The sight of her smiling face in the photo as she waved at him behind the camera caused the tears to finally fall. He had taken this photo just six hours before her death and just one hour before the Death Eaters had attacked. He laid the photo down and let the tears flow. He thought he was done crying over her, but he was not even close.
The pain of that day caused an ache in his chest as his heart broke all over again. He couldn't let history repeat itself. He would do whatever it took to make Draco see that he had to let Hermione know the truth. He had to make Hermione his now, not wait until it was too late.
If he could convince his younger self to bond with her…but he would have to reveal himself in order to convince his younger self. Could he risk it?
He put the photo back and closed the lid. He would try to convince young Draco in another way, but if it did not work by the end of the school year he would have to risk everything. He had a feeling though that Draco was on his way to giving in, so maybe all would not be lost.
Hermione found herself once again patrolling the dungeons. She made quick work of checking the Slytherin common room before making her way back toward the stairs. She felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end and goose bumps erupt on her skin.
Someone was watching her.
She picked up her pace, but was stopped before she could reach the bottom stair. A hand had grasped onto her upper arm and turned her around, pulling her tightly against a hard, muscular body. A familiar scent filled her senses and the tremble of fear ceased.
"You should really pay more attention to your surroundings, Granger."
Hermione tilted her head back and looked up into silver eyes full of regret. "Granger again, am I? What happened to Mudblood?"
Draco sighed heavily and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead. "I didn't mean that, and you know it."
"It still hurt nonetheless."
"I know, and I am sorry I ever said it. At the time it seemed the right thing to do. My father threatened to hurt you and I couldn't bear it if he did."
Hermione pulled back a bit and looked into his face. "Your father would hurt me no matter what. You can't let him dictate to you any longer. You know how you should live your life, and it is not the way he has taught you. You have allies within your own house that would agree with me."
Draco's jaw came unhinged. "How did you know about that? Did Zabini tell you?"
"So, I see Blaise is involved as well. Theo never mentioned him to me when he gave me the list of supporters."
Draco placed a finger over her lips to silence her. "We really should not be talking of this here. Follow me." He grabbed her by the hand and led her out of the dungeons and to a very familiar area.
"The Room of Requirement. I haven't been here since fifth year." Hermione said as they entered the room.
"Yes, the year of Umbridge and Dumbledore's Army." Draco said as he closed the door behind them. "Why I ever followed that old gargoyle I will never know."
"Father's influence, perhaps?" Hermione questioned with an understanding air.
"Perhaps."
He walked over to the burgundy and cream-colored sofa that sat before a warm fire, motioning for her to join him. They both sat down as one and turned one to the other. "So, you want to tell me how you know about the secret group that resides within Slytherin?" Draco asked as he reached out a hand to push a loose tendril behind Hermione's ear.
She shivered a moment as a tingle raced down her spine. How she wished he would keep touching her! "Well, the last time I patrolled the dungeons I was pulled into an alcove by an unknown male." She paused for a moment when she heard him growl. She looked up and saw anger burning within the depths of his eyes. "He didn't harm me. He just let me know that it was important that we meet somewhere to talk."
"And you agreed to, didn't you?" he inquired, the anger evident in his voice. He was none too pleased that she would foolishly comply. She could've been hurt!
"Yes, I did. He said if I wanted to be with you, it would be in my best interest to meet him in the Astronomy Tower after my rounds the next night."
Draco stood and hovered over her, his eyes darkening as fury consumed him. "So, you put yourself in danger over me?"
"Y-yes," she answered in a small voice.
"Dammit, Granger. Don't you ever do that again, I am not worth you getting harmed over."
Hermione stood and met him toe to toe. "Yes, you are, Draco. I will do whatever it takes to help you."
Draco grasped her by her upper arms and shook her, as though that would shake some sense into her. "You are too bloody trusting! These times are dangerous, and I'll be damned if I let you come to any harm. Do you understand me?"
He let go of her arms when he saw the tears course down her cheeks. He pulled her close and held her so tightly that she could barely breathe, but she said nothing as she embraced him back. The feel of his warm body against hers calmed her, and she felt safer than she ever had before.
"Granger, promise me you will never, ever do anything like that again."
She nodded her head and he pulled away from her a bit so he could look into her eyes. "I care too much about you, and it would kill me if anything ever happened to you." He ran a finger down her cheek before leaning down to brush his lips gently against hers.
Hermione closed her eyes and sighed, her breath warm against his lips. He moaned softly before taking her lips more firmly with his own. The kiss was tender and sweet at first, until he brushed his tongue along the seam of her lips and she opened up for him. He deepened the kiss and she moaned as their tongues swirled together within the warmth of her mouth.
They only pulled apart when the need for air overwhelmed them.
Draco held her tightly for a moment before pulling away and stepping back. "I have to go now, Hermione. I have to meet with someone in the next half hour. Can you…can you meet me here tomorrow?"
She simply nodded her assent and he smiled warmly at her. He stepped forward again and placed a gentle kiss against her forehead before he stepped away, and was gone.
She made her way out of the Room of Requirement and back towards her own room. She was so deeply in thought that she missed the person hiding in the shadows watching her.